1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for automatically forming a loop-like anchor member on a trim cover assembly for use in an automotive seat, the loop-like anchor member being to be anchored to an insert wire embedded in a cushion member of the seat to thereby secure the trim cover assembly on the cushion member.
2. Description of Prior Art
There has been known such anchoring type of trim cover assembly (TR) having a loop-like anchor cloth member dependent from the reverse side thereof, as can be seen in FIG. 1. In general, the anchor cloth member is of a loop-like strip configuration having a through-bore defined therein, just similar to a loop-like anchor member (C') having a through-bore (l) which is used in the present invention and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The ordinary anchor cloth member of this type is sewn, at the two longitudinal ends thereof, to the reverse side of the trim cover assembly (TR), and used for anchoring the trim cover assembly (TR) to an insert wire (D) embedded in a foam cushion member (not shown) to thereby positively secure the trim cover assembly (TR) on the cushion member in close contact thereupon, in assembling an automotive seat (not shown). The insert wire (D) is inserted in the through-bore of anchor cloth member to anchor the trim cover assembly (TR) to the not-shown cushion member.
Normally, although not shown as a prior art in the drawings, an original flat tape of cloth material is provided in a rolled webbing state within a rotary storage device disposed under a table of a sewing machine, and such original tape of cloth material is drawn out from the rotary storage device and inserted into a folding device, so that the cloth material is folded by the folding device along its central longitudinal line and doubled over into a preliminary from of anchor cloth member. Then, the thus-formed preliminary anchor cloth member is pulled and set at a predetermined point where the free forward extremity of anchor cloth member is located in the vicinity of a movable feed member (i.e. feed dog) of sewing machine. At this point, a pair of juxtaposed separate trim cover assembly sections (A)(B) (see FIG. 1 for instance) are placed on the table of sewing machine, with their respective ends (A1)(B1) being juxtaposed on and aligned with the two longitudinal ends of anchor cloth member, after which, both of the trim cover assembly sections and anchor cloth member are sewn together at and along their respective ends by the sewing machine so as to form a loop-like anchor cloth member at the reverse side of resultant rim cover assembly (TR) in a manner dependent therefrom, as can be understood from FIG. 1.
However, during this sewing operation, such problem has arisen that the forward extremity of folded anchor cloth member acutely contacts the reverse side of lower one of the trim cover assembly sections when bringing the anchor cloth member to a position beneath that lower one of trim cover assembly sections, resulting thus in the dislocation of a given sewing position of the anchor cloth member relative to the trim cover assembly sections. Further, in the case of an automated sewing device of this sort having a guide plate movable on the table of sewing machine, the movement of the guide plate, on which the trim cover assembly sections are placed, creates such problem that one end of the guide plate contacts and upturns the forward extremity of preliminary anchor cloth member in a direction reversing its feeding direction to the sewing machine, with the result that the preliminary anchor cloth member may not be sewn precisely with the trim cover assembly sections along a given sewing line therebetween. Those drawbacks are also due to the non-rigid, easily bendable nature inherit in the cloth material used in the conventional anchor cloth member. As a consequence of the foregoing various defective factors, there has been no other way than to set a length of the folded preliminary anchor cloth member greater than that of the two trim cover assembly sections, and juxtapose them together such that the forward end portion of the anchor cloth member is projected a proper distance from the forward extremities of two trim cover assembly sections, in order to prevent the above-discussed contact and upturning problems of preliminary anchor cloth member. But, even in that case, after sewing the anchor cloth member to the trim cover assembly sections, it is necessary to cut off the projected end portion of resultant loop-like anchor cloth member from a resultant trim cover assembly, which turns out troublesome on the worker's part and undesirably waste in the costs involved.